Chabies spibo



C. SPIRO. LINE SPA-CE MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED FEB.3. 19,19.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919. I

' Wirnn STAT A an eerie.

CHARLES SPIRO, 0F YORK, N. Y. ASSIGNOR T0 GOURLAND TYPEWRITER CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF. NEW YORK.

LINE-SPACE MECHANISM. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

1 Patented cm. as, rare.

Application filed February 3, 1919. Serial No. 274,683.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES Srrno, citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line-Space Mechanism, of which the following is a specificat1on.

This invention relates to a line space mechanism and particularly to a construction adapted for application to the platen of a typewritingTmachine.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved construction embodying a rock shaft provided with a lateral projection disposed to actuate a pivoted spacing lever carrying at its free end a feed" pawl, the several parts being arranged to permit the introduction and removal of a platen having a ratchet disposed in operative relation to the spacing lever and pawl. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of feed lever and pawl adapted to be rocked away from a cooperative ratchet wheel when the parts are at rest and to be moved toward said ratchet ment of the lever for a spacing operation.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof set forth by the appended claims.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a top plan showing the invention applied in use; Fig. 2 is a section on. line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation at the left of line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

cross l ar 12 and at their upper rear portion by a bar 13. These risers are constructed t'o receive a removably mounted platen 14, and for that purpose are provided with the bearings 15 having inlet slots 16 of less diameter ings in the risers.

during the move- I the slotted 'end isja detail rear elevation at the left like parts in the communicating therewith. The ends 1? of the platen shaft are of a diameter to properly fit these hearings and are each provided With a reduced portion 18 adapted to pass through the slots 16 when the platen is introduced into or removed from the frame. After such introduction the'platen and shaft are moved axially to bring the bearing portions of the shaft into contact with the bear- This form of removable platen is not claimed herein, as it is the subect of a separate application filed January 13, 1919, Serial No. 270,912. For the purpose of effecting the line spacmg one of the risers 11 is provided with bearing lugs 20 in which a rock shaft 21 is mounted and provided with an operating hand piece 22 adjustably mounted thereon and secured in any desired manner, for instance by a set screw23. This shaft and handle arenormally retained in non-operative position, for instance with the hand piece inclined toward the left, by a spring 24 encircling the shaft one end 25. The opposite end of the spring is secured at 26 to one of the lugs 20. The shaft carries at its rear a laterallyextending pin or projection 27 which passes .through 28 of the spacing lever 29 pivoted at 30 upon the inner face of the riser.

This space 31' pivoted thereon at 32 and having its tooth 88 normally forced inward by a spring 3 1 secured at the pivot 32 and hearing against said tooth. For the purpose of retracting this pawl and tooth when withdrawn from the ratchet 35 secured to the platen or its shaft, the pawl is formed with a tail portion 36 arranged to engage the front cross bar 12 of the platen carriage when the parts are at rest, as shown by full lines in Fig. 2. As the lever is under the tension of the riick shaft spring this results in rocking back the feed pawl so that the platen and its ratchet Wheel are free to he removed ahd replaced without afl'ecting the. relative feeding position of the pawl to said wheel. When the pawl is removed from the cross bar by operation-of the rock. shaft it is thrown toward the ratchet and into proper position to engage the teeth thereof to effect the line spacing action.

In order to determine the extent of travel of the space lever for diiferent degrees of line spacing a variable space lever 37 is pivotally mounted upon the riser at 38 and pro vided with a friction washer 39 to retain the lever in adjusted position. The lower end of the lever 37 is provided with a hook40 disposed to from the rock shaft and its movement into this position is limited by a stop 41, as shown in Fig, 3. l/Vhen thus positioned the space lever is restricted in its travel for the shortest spacing, but when shifted to the dotted line position in Fig. 3 the hook is removed from the path fullest extent of spacing permitted.

order to hold the platen against accidental movement when the spacing pawl is removed therefrom any desired. form of detent may be used, such for instance as the roller 42 carried by a spring 43 mounted on the rear cross bar 13 and bearing against a detent ratchet 44 at the right end of the platen. The pressure of this detent may be relieved by a release lever 45 pivoted at 46 upon the riser and having at its inner end a lateral finger l? disposed to engage and move backward the extended pivot 4-8 of the detent roller, as shown in Figs, 1 and 5.

In the operation of the invention when the hand piece is moved toward the right the rock shaftis turned to actuate the spacing lever carrying the feed pawl which is normally held awa from the platen ratchet wheel by its contact with the front cross bar. This movement releases the pawl which is rocked toward the ratchet by its spring so as to properly mesh therewith and feed the same for the distance determined by the position of the variable space lever which. is frictionally held in eitherof its shifted positions. When the parts are at rest the spacing lever pawl lies below and,

away from the ratchet wheel so that the platen. may be readi removed or replaced in its frame vvithoutinterference with the spacing mechanism which. in its preliminary movement is released and thrown into meshing relation with the ratchet for the feeding action. will thus be seen that this construction is particularly designed adapted for use in connection with a platen which can be quickly and easily removed from its frame, for any purpose desired, and replaced by a platen of difi erent type or character,

The invention presents a simple, etlicient and economically manufactured construction of line spacing mechanism, and while the specific structure of the several parts thereof has been described and shown, the invention is not limited thereto as set forth in the following claims.

ll hat ll claim isl A. line spacing mechanism. comprising a platen frame, a platen mounted therein pass beneath the projection 27 of the pin 27 and the said ro'ection a feed, )a-Wl and provided with a feeding ratchet, a rock shaft pivoted upon said frame and having a lateral projection, a spacing lever disposed in a horizontal planeparallel to said shaft and pivoted upon the frame beneath said platen and engaging said projection, and a feed pawl carried by the free forward end of said lever to engage said ratchet.

2. A line spacing mechanism comprising a platen fra-me,a platen mounted therein and provided with a feeding ratchet, a rock shaft pivoted upon said frame and having a lateral projection, a horizontally disposed spacing lever pivoted upon the frame beneath the axis of said platen and engaging said projection, a feed pawl carriedby the free end of said lever to engage said ratchet, and means beneath said lever to rock said pawl upon its pivot to retract the same when the lever is at rest.

3. A line spacing mechanism comprising a platen frame, a platen mounted therein and provided with a feeding ratchet, a rock shaft pivoted upon the frame and having a lateral projection, 21 horizontally disposed spacing lever pivoted upon the frame beneat-h the axis of said platen. and engaging carried by the free end of said lever to engage said ratchet, means beneath said lever to rock said pawl upon its pivot to retract the same when the lever is at rest, and a variable space lever pivoted above the projection and having means at its lower end to travel beneath said. projection to determine the extent of its travel,

4-, A line spacing mechanism comprising a platen frame, a platen. mounted therein. and provided with a feeding ratchet, a spacing lever pivoted upon the frame in a horizontal plane beneath said ratchet, a feed pawl pivoted upon. the free end of said. lever, tension means to throw said pawl toward said ratchet, and means disposed be" neath the free end of sail lever to engage and retract said pawl when. the lever is at rest, v

5. A line spacing mechanism comprising a platen frame, a plate-n mounted therein and provided with a. feeding ratchet, aspacing lever pivoted upon the frame in a horizontal plane beneath said ratchet, means for actuating the rear end of said lever, a feed pawl pivoted upon the forward end of said. lever beneath said ratnhet, a tail upon said pawl disposed beneath its pivot, means upon the lever for throwing said pawl to ward said ratchet, fixed means dis- .iosed. beneath the forward end of the lever to engage said tail and retract the pawl upon the vertical depression of said lever.

A line spacing mechanism onlprising a platen frame provided with open bearing sockets, a platen having its shaft removably mounted therein and provided with a feed ing ratchet, a spacing levei' pivoted upon the frame in a horizontal plane beneath said shaft, a rock shaft mounted upon the frame and having a lateral pin engaging the rear end of said lever, means upon the frame adapted to be disposed beneath said pin and limit the travel thereof, a feed pawl carried by the forward end of said lever, means for throwing said pawl toward said ratchet, and means for retracting said pawl when the same is moved into a plane below said ratchet.

7. A line spacing mechanism comprising a platen frame having risers at opposite ends, a platen having its shaft removabl mounted therein and provided with a feed ing ratchet, a rock shaft pivoted upon the outer face of one riser and having a lateral pin extended from the inner end thereof, a spacing lever pivoted upon the inner face of said riser parallel with said rock shaft and having a slotted inner end to receive said pin, and a feed pawl carried by the forward end of said lever and disposed to travel toward and from said ratchet.

8. A line spacing mechanism comprising a platen frame having risers at opposite ends, a platen having its shaft mounted therein and provided with a feeding ratchet, a rock shaft pivoted upon the face of one riser and having a laterallpin extended therefrom, a variable space lever pivoted upon said riser and having a member disposed to enter the path of travel of said pin, a spacing lever pivoted upon the I lower end disposed riser parallel with said rock shaft and connected at its inner end with the free end of said pin, and feed pawl carried by the forward end of said lever and disposed to travel toward and from said ratchet.

9. .A line spacing mechanism comprising a platen frame having risers at opposite ends, a platen having its shaft mounted therein and provided with a feeding ratchet, a rock shaft pivoted upon the face of one riser and having a lateral pin ex- 7 tended therefrom, a variable space lever pivoted upon the riser and having a hooked travel of said pin, means to retain said lever in shifted positions, a spacing lever pivoted upon the riser and connected with the free end of said pin, and a feed pawl carried by said lever and disposed to traveltoward and from said ratchet.

10. A line spacing mechanism comprisin a platen frame, a platen having its sha mounted therein and ing ratchet, a spacing lever pivoted upon the frame, means for actuating the inner end of said lever, a feed pawl pivoted upon the outer end of said lever, a spring bearing upon the tooth of said pawl, and an angularly disposed tail upon said pawl arranged to engage a portion of said frame-to retract the pawl as the lever is moved away from said ratchet.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES SPIRO.

provided with a feedto enter the path of i 

